Tree of Life

Tree of Life is an invented verse form written in the shape of a tree. Found at Poetry Styles (a site no longer accessible) and created by Christina Jusaumme who requests the subject of the poem be uplifting.

The Tree of Life is:

  • a poem in 19 lines.
  • syllabic, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-4-4-4-4-4-4.
  • unrhymed.
  • centered on the page.

My Example

Form: Tree of Life

Be Deciduous

Snow
that falls
on barren
limbs still may break
those boughs. None-the-less
the trees prepare themselves
by shedding platforms to which
snow would adhere, ensuring harm.
Bears can push through piles of snow, yet don’t.
They forecast and hibernate while snow falls.
It seems that man alone insists that he must
strive to thumb his nose and try to dance his forty
hour shuffle, weather be damned, inviting heart attacks.
Stock some lanterns
and candles too
stockpiles some food
that’s good for you
then read some books
and stay inside.

© Lawrencealot – February 3, 2015

Tina’s Zigzag Rhyme

Tina’s Zigzag Rhyme is a form created by Christina R Jussaume and found at Poetry Styles (site no longer accessible).

  • It starts with a sestet, refrain, quatrain, refrain and quatrain.
  • It must be uplifting subject.
  • Rhyme in first two lines is at left,
  • next rhyme is center in lines 3 and 4,
  • and rhyme in lines 5 and 6 is an end rhyme.
  • Refrain is first two lines of poem.
  • After refrain you use center rhyme, then end rhyme, continue with refrain… etc.
  • It is an 8 syllable per line poem. No limit to stanzas but must have, at least one sestet, refrain, and quatrain.

My Example

Form: Tina’s ZigZag Rhyme

Now is a Present

Behold! It’s clear that I can think.
I’m sold that men are so imbued.
There is no need for fairy tales
or a dogma’s creed to comfort.
I think that if you think you’ll see
that things are just as they should be.

Behold! It’s clear that I can think.
I’m sold that men are so imbued.

All of us should enjoy right now
seeking what is good in others.
Happiness is an attitude
that worry’s likely to exclude.

© Lawrencealot – February 1, 2015

Visual Template

Beacon of Hope

Beacon of Hope 

Is a form created by Christina R Jussaume on 10/02/2009. It starts with a sestet, (Stanza of 6 lines) of 6 syllables each. Next is a triplet, (Stanza of three lines) of 12 syllables each. The next 12 lines are 8 syllables in length. The subject should be spiritual in nature and uplifting. I have used rhyme here, but I leave each Rhyme scheme up to each poet. It should be center aligned and it will appear to look like a lighthouse.

Pasted from <http://the.a.b.c.of.poetry.styles.patthepoet.com/index.html>
Many Thanks to Christina R Jussaume for her work on the Poetry Styles site.

My example

Tolerant Spirit (Beacon of Hope)

Since mankind’s self-aware
and unknown causes fear
and fear leads to despair
displacing human cheer
Man felt a need for prayer
(to gods) that much was clear.
Some Fifty-five odd hundred plus (and mostly men)
have formalized beliefs to which folks say amen –
all cults though some are called religions now and then.
Sincere beliefs from visions wrought
from trances (those perhaps induced
by substances not unlike pot)
led intellect to be seduced.
With promises, some fable based
good men as well as montebanks
let sheeple have their fears erased
by rites performed and giving thanks.
I’ve felt no need to be beware
just ‘cus all answers are not here.
Continuums are every where
or not – so I’ll enjoy this sphere.

© Lawrencealot – November 17, 2014

Visual Template

Beacon of Hope

Wheelchair Angel Style

Wheelchair Angel Style 
A new form of poetry created to honor 
Poet mike44  aka  Author  Michael L Schuh
Who we now know as the wheel-chair angel… 
It consists of 25 lines
Starting with head syllable count of 2/2/3/4/3/2/1/3 
to create the impression of the back of a man 
sat in his wheel chair
5/8/8/10/8/8/8/8/8/8/ these line represent the chair
Then 4/ 4/6/6/4/4 split to represent two wheels
Then a 10 syllable line to represents the ground
Content must include wheel chair. 
Created by Pat Simpson 3/10.2009

Pasted from http://the.a.b.c.of.poetry.styles.patthepoet.com/T2Z.html
Many Thanks to Christina R Jussaume for her work on the Poetry Styles site.
 

• The Wheelchair Angel Style is a poem that attempts to create silhouette shape of a man in a wheelchair. Found at Poetry Styles this invented verse form was introduced by Pat Simpson to honor poet, Michael L. Schuh and who suggests the content include reference to a wheelchair. It was found at Poetry Styles.

The Wheelchair Angel Style is:
○ a poem in 25 lines.
○ syllabic, 2-2-3-4-3-2-1-3 5-8-8-8-10-8-8-8-8-8-8 4-4-6-4-4 10. L20 thru L24 are split, to create the illusion of wheels.

x x
x x
x x x
x x x x

x x x
x x
x
x x x
x x x x x
x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x
x x ——- x x
x x ——- x x
x x x —– x x x
x x ——- x x
x x ——- x x
x x x x x x x x x x

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1001#wheel
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My example
Wheels (Wheelchair Angle Style)

Bodies
broken
or diseased
paralyzing
structural
muscles
thus
stealing our
means to move about.
So they built chairs that men could push, 
then chairs that we could move ourselves.
Self-propelled wheelchairs are being
replaced by electric powered models
augmented by smart control chips
which now enable longer trips.
The chairs get better every year
with models made for all terrain
and competing in rugged sports.
Power soccer’s the most extreme.
   For men                   won’t bow
 while mind                   still works
we have                     a life to live,
 wheelchairs                      assist
   and man                   persists.
Expect science to obsolete the chair.

© Lawrencealot – October 31, 2014

Hourglass

Hourglass
The Hourglass contains eight syllables per line, three stanzas, with a rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef.  Once written, the poem is then written ‘upside-down’ from the last line to the first line, and must make sense when read both ways.

Pasted from http://the.a.b.c.of.poetry.styles.patthepoet.com/index.html
Many Thanks to Christina R Jussaume for her work on the Poetry Styles site.

For many related forms, see Trick Poetry.

My example

School Daze (Hourglass)

I tried to write a simple verse,
I’m capable of simple thought.
My mother thought I could do worse
With all the schooling she had bought.

I’d been in school for years and years
Ideas had time to germinate
I overcame my silly fears
I said to mother, “You just wait!

I would not a good doctor make,
a physicist was out of reach,
how many more years will that take?
Perhaps I’d better plan to teach

Perhaps I’d better plan to teach,
how many more years will that take?
A physicist was out of reach;
I would not a good doctor make.

I said to mother, “You just wait!
I overcame my silly fears
Ideas had time to germinate
I’d been in school for years and years.

With all the schooling she had bought
My mother thought I could do worse.
I’m capable of simple thought,
I tried to write a simple verse.

© Lawrencealot – October 11, 2014

Visual template

Hourglass

Eleventh Power

• Eleventh Power is an invented stanzaic form introduced by Christina Jussaume who requests the subject be uplifting.
The is:
○ stanzaic, written in any number of 11 line stanzas.
○ syllabic, 11 syllables each.
○ rhymed, rhyme scheme abababccddd or ababababccc.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?/topic/2192-invented-forms-from-poetry-styles/
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My example

Not to Waste (Eleventh Power)

Each day if a morning comes it seems a gift;
there’s more to do I have not yet done to date.
A poem to read to give my soul a lift
and poems to write before it is too late.
When younger, the days seemed not too short or swift,
but now I realize that time for no man waits.
There’s someone for whom for whom a cheerful smile
will brighten the day and make it more worthwhile.
A joke or a smile’s not wasted anywhere
and feeling alright’s a proper mood to share.
Today’s an extra! So live it like you care.

© Lawrencealot – October 11, 2014

Visual template

Eleventh Power

Chazz Effect

Chazz Effect
This form was created by Chazz Combs.
take a one syllable word and use in each line of your poem, you will end up with  the chosen word, syllable count 14,10,9,7,5,3,2,2,1, rhyming a,a,b,b,c,c,d,d,e centered

Pasted from http://the.a.b.c.of.poetry.styles.patthepoet.com/index.html
Many Thanks to Christina R Jussaume for her work on the Poetry Styles site.

The Chazz Effect is:
A poem of 9 lines,
Syllabic: 14/10/9/7/5/3/2/2/1
Formulaic: requiring the one syllable word ending the poem, to be repeated somewhere in every other line.
Rhymed, pattern: aabbccddx,
To be centered.

My Example

Stifled (Chazz Effect)

Occasionally I have too much I’m supposed to do.
Do such things ever happen to you too??
With too many tasks upon my plate
some will surely be too late.
Some too, turned out wrong,
took too long;
too sad,
too bad
too.

© Lawrencealot – October 7, 2014

Visual template

Chazz Effect

Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem
This is a new style created by Pat Simpson Aug 15th 2010
The carpe diem is latin meaning live for the day
So subject must be about anything that makes you happy
The style is a ten line poem with varying syllables on each line
Line 1..8syllables:Line 2..6syllables: Line 3..4syllables:Line 4..2syllables:Line 5..10syllables:
Line 6..2syllables: Line 7..4syllables: Line 8..6syllables:Line 9..8syllables:Line 10..10syllables

Pasted from http://the.a.b.c.of.poetry.styles.patthepoet.com/index.html
Many Thanks to Christina R Jussaume for her work on the Poetry Styles site.

The Carpe Diem is:
A poem of 10 lines.
Syllabic, with lines of 8/6/4/2/10/2/4/6/8/10
No metrical or rhyme requirement.

My Example

‘S Okay (Carpe Diem)

Today has started out okay.
My house did not burn down.
My coffee’s good
and hot.
My dog has gone outside to take a pee.
I don’t
yet think I’m nuts,
and don’t suppose I would
as long as my reality
is not at odds with simply feeling good.

© Lawrencealot – October 7, 2014

Visual Template
Note: no specific meter is mandated.

Carpe Diem

Candlelight

Candlelight
Candlelight- A form created by Christina R Jussaume on 12/03.07. Syllable counts are 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, and 7 syllables. 
Rhyme is AABBCCDEFGHIJKLMN

Pasted from http://the.a.b.c.of.poetry.styles.patthepoet.com/index.html
Many Thanks to Christina R Jussaume for her work on the Poetry Styles site.

• The Candlelight is an invented verse form that may have been meant as a shape poem, although I can’t visualize a candle in this frame. It was introduced by Christina Jussaume.
The Candlelight is:
○ a poem in 17 lines.
○ syllabic, 5-5-5-4-4-3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-7 syllables per line, centered on the page.
○ rhymed aabbccxxxxxxxxxxxx x being unrhymed.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?/topic/2192-invented-forms-from-poetry-styles/
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My example

Her First Bra (Candlelight)

I pulled her bra-strap,
received a small slap.
A blush, then a smile
it was worthwhile
acknowledgement
had been sent,
in my
fifth-grade
class-room.
Days
then
months
then
years
passed
as
we assumed our new genders.

© Lawrencealot – October 6, 2014

Visual template

Candlelight

Bev-A-Lyn Rhyme

Bev-A-Lyn Rhyme 
Created by Chazz Combs.
SYLLABLE COUNT IS 5,7,9,14,14,11,9,7,5, RHYMING, a,a,a,b c,c,c d, e,e,e, f
the 2  syllable lines do not have to rhyme and they have their own message!
center on page. 

Pasted from http://the.a.b.c.of.poetry.styles.patthepoet.com/index.html
Many Thanks to Christina R Jussaume for her work on the Poetry Styles site.

The Bev-A-Lyn Rhyme is:
A 12 line poem, consisting of alternating tercets and single line stanzas.
It is syllabic: 5/7/9/2/14/14/11/2/9/7/5/2
The tercets are individually monorhymed
The single lines are unrhymed and convey their own separate message
Rhyme pattern: aaaxbbbxcccx

My Example

Statism (Bev-A-Lyn Rhyme)

Tribes were unified
that their needs were satisfied.
Upon each other members relied.
People
aggregate where economic benefits are bestowed,
where law-makers have deemed that to each a stipend is owed.
Then grift will cause working ethics to erode.
Earning
one’s way allows welfare to accrue
but transfers from me to you
won’t help us all to
Prosper.

© Lawrencealot – October 5, 2014

Visual Template

Bev-A-Lyn Rhyme